


Amusement

by antikytheras



Category: Karneval
Genre: Akari/Hirato only if you squint, Crack, Gen, because I can't write romance ahahaha, might be OOC sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 00:59:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1799662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antikytheras/pseuds/antikytheras
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there is a forest, an indeterminate number of wild boars, an abandoned amusement park and an extremely disgruntled doctor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Amusement

**Author's Note:**

> Filled for faikitty's (sweats nervously) request on tumblr for a ficlet meme.
> 
> Prompts were Amusement Park, Jitters, Glasses and Hirato/Akari.
> 
> I don't think I delivered what she wanted. Oh well. Apologies.
> 
> Incidentally, I'm not overly-familiar with this fandom so if there are any discrepancies, I apologise once more.

It was supposed to have been a simple field trip—Akari had samples to collect and, of course, a high-ranking officer had to be assigned to protect Circus’ precious SSS-rank personnel. The both of them knew very well that the chances of the doctor being attacked were low, but they followed instructions anyway. Unfortunately, one of them (Akari will insist that it had been the Second Ship Captain, while aforementioned Captain will only smile benignly, and yet everyone will understand exactly what Hirato means to say) had angered a wild boar (or two, or three, or maybe a herd, depending on who’s telling the story), which had chased the both of them all around the forest.

(Hirato will remember it as the most hilarious incident he’s ever been involved in, while Akari will do his best to not remember at all.)

‘I can’t believe we got lost,’ Akari grumbles.

‘I’m sure that the pleasure of your company will help pass the time,’ Hirato replies, with that same, loathsome, polite smile on his face. It irks Akari that Hirato is as unruffled as ever, even though they’re lost in some forest in the middle of who-knows-where.

They trudge along the forest path, all too aware of the gradually darkening sky. It erupts in a burst of yellows and reds as the sun sets, then fades into friendlier pink hues that herald the start of twilight, before deepening into blue dusk.

Soon, it will be night, and the sky will be nothing but black-black-black.

The leaf litter beneath their feet crunches all-too-loudly. Every step they take echoes in the emptiness of the forest, creating illusions of fauna (enemies) approaching (creeping up on them).

It is somewhat unnerving.

Abruptly, Hirato extends an arm, motioning for the doctor to stop.

‘What?’

‘Look ahead, Akari-san.’

He does, and for a moment, he does not see that which has arrested Hirato’s attention.

‘Beyond the trees. Do you see it?’

And then he does.

‘What’s something like that doing in the middle of a forest?’ Akari asks, bewildered.

‘I was hoping you’d know,’ Hirato replies without a hint of a sarcastic tone. ‘Shall we take a look?’

Under the darkening sky, Hirato is a shadow, clothed in the same blues that close in on them. He moves silently, with a strange fluidity that could possibly be described as grace, and with purpose, boldly continuing toward their destination.

Yet, Akari notices the slight tension in his shoulders, the tell-tale controlled rhythm in his steps, and the far-too-relaxed grip Hirato has on his cane, and then, just like that, he understands.

The tension in Hirato’s body only tightens further when they reach the gates of the abandoned amusement park.

The imposing metal structures are old and rusty with age. What could have been once-proud and majestic structures were now falling apart and damaged beyond repair.

Beyond the gates, they have a clear view of the amusement park, in all of its (abandoned) glory. What could have been a (cloyingly) cheerful place is instead a ghost town, with darkness closing in on the lightless fairground. The entire place is nothing but shades of blues, greys and blacks that blend into one another to form a great yet vague painting of an old, abandoned amusement park. It is completely devoid of life (or so they hope).

Hirato scrutinises the rusty gates with a glint in his eye.

Akari recognises it instantly. ‘What are you planning?’

‘You wound me, Akari-san. Must you always think the worst of me?’ The injured tone in Hirato’s voice is obviously faked.

‘Trust me, I could think of much worse,’ he retorts.

‘I’m flattered that you think so highly of me. In any case, I was thinking about flying up to the top of that ferris wheel.’

‘What for?’

‘To enjoy the view, of course.’

There is silence.

Akari mentally strangles the Second Ship Captain. It would at least shut his smug mouth up.

‘Do whatever you want,’ Akari says flatly at last.

‘As you wish.’ Hirato smiles, the loathsome smile that Akari so detests, and suddenly, there is an arm behind the doctor’s back and another under his thighs.

Before he can even utter a word of protest, he’s pulled into the air and launched toward the rickety, worn-looking ferris wheel.

All while being carried by Hirato.

Bridal-style.

‘What are you doing—‘

‘Do stop squirming, Akari-san. You’re going to knock my glasses off. Could you do me a favour and help me push them back up? They’re slipping.’

Akari, of course, does nothing of that sort. ‘Hurry up and put me down!’

‘I’m afraid that’s a little difficult. I cannot put the well-being of SSS-rank personnel at risk, yes? And I should search for landmarks before it gets too dark. I certainly don’t look forward to spending the night in there.’

Akari silently vows bloody murder on the gently smiling captain.

Frustrated at his helplessness at Hirato’s hands, he looks anywhere but up (and down, also, but that’s another matter) and his eyes immediately settle on the ferris wheel.

It is a large, imposing structure, even in its old, neglected state. Yet, despite the elaborate decorations that would have appealed to any child, the ferris wheel is eerie.

The wheel tilts this way and that, rocking as the wind threads through the rusty, wire-thin-looking structure, creaking, creaking, _creeeeeeaking_ with long, drawn-out groans. The cartoonish motifs are decidedly creepy in their states of disrepair, too-large eyes and too-wide grins following Akari everywhere he looks. He cannot help but shiver when the wind catches them in its grasp, for its touch is so very cold.

‘Scared, Akari-san?’

Hirato’s voice is a low whisper, barely breathed out, but his hot breath ghosts against the doctor’s ear. Akari knows very well that it’s meant to scare him, but in this situation, his voice is almost comforting.

Even so, he shivers and recoils, and he so loathes Hirato when the captain laughs.

‘Of course not. Don’t be stupid. Have you found anything yet?’

‘The boars are down there,’ He gestures with jerk of his head, grinning.

Akari wants to _strangle_ him.

‘And the ship is somewhere around there.’

‘Then hurry up and bring us back!’ Akari snaps, irritated.

Warning bells sound in his head when Hirato’s grin widens. ‘As you wish, my dear doctor.’

They return to the ship without further incident, and Akari suffers what is quite possibly the worst embarrassment of his entire life, trapped in Hirato's arms for all the world to see.

Hirato, of course, loves every second of it.


End file.
